Drive against pavement encroachments continues

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI, MAY 20. As part of cleaning the pavements to facilitate
free movement of pedestrians, the Chennai Corporation continued
removal of pavement encroachments in various parts of the city
for the third day today.

The operation was mainly carried out in Perambur and Egmore
areas. There was not much activity in many of the zones, except a
few places where the eviction was restricted to bunk shops and
fruit vendors.

Officials said they would strengthen the supervisory mechanism in
all the areas. If the encroachers returned, Corporation staff at
ward levels would be held responsible.

The latest move after a gap of about a year was initiated to
honour the verdict of the High Court which stated that pavement
encroachments ought to be removed in co-operation with all the
related Government agencies before June 9.

Though the removal of encroachments has been widely welcomed by
pavement users, the vendors expressed their anguish. A vendor in
Triplicane said: ``It is my life. I survive on whatever minimal
earning I get through selling cigarettes. Why is the Government
harassing us when lot of unauthorised constructions are
untouched.''

A councillor said there were many attempts to clear encroachments
in the last three years. But it was effective since the
encroachers managed to come back with the influence of
politicians. The vendors should have been identified and given
due notice before carrying out the operation. Moreover, steps
should be taken to provide the vendors an alternative site, he
added.